St. John residents are noticing a big change at six different intersections along First Street and Monroe Street — freshly-painted crosswalks that have already dramatically improved the safety of on-foot pedestrians and children walking to school due to increasing visibility for drivers.

“Crosswalks are a low-cost, easy and highly effective way to increase pedestrian safety in our community,” said Ashlee Bevan, Program Director of Stafford Economic Development and Leadership Team Member for Live Well Stafford County. “A future goal is to also have crosswalks painted at the Monroe and Third Street intersection for children walking to school — potentially by a Safe Routes to School Grant opportunity.”​New crosswalk locations:• First and Centennial Drive• First and Santa Fe Avenue• First and Prairie Street• First and Pearl Street• First and Monroe Street• Monroe and Second Avenue

According to the Federal Highway Administration, crosswalks control pedestrian movements, promote a connected pedestrian network and improve visibility of a crossing place. Location, marking types, lighting and maintenance are taken into consideration. Crosswalks help drivers yield the right-of-way and distinguish the walking path that pedestrians should use from other roadway markings.​

About Live Well Stafford CountyLive Well Stafford County is a volunteer-based health coalition dedicated to improving the health of all Stafford County residents by building local infrastructure that supports walking and biking to maximize safety, economic, accessibility and environmental benefits. LWSC is invested in community education to promote healthy lifestyles and improve the overall quality of life for all residents.